Masquerade
by Phoebe Halliwell
Summary: Albus has decided that Harry's year deserve a special graduation party. Its a chance to socialise with everyone without judgement and without even knowing who they are until the night is over. Its a chance for Harry to meet someone who sees the real him.


For all the departing students of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore had decided to throw a masquerade ball, he had never done so for any other year that had departed but he decided that this year was special

For all the departing students of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore had decided to throw a masquerade ball, he had never done so for any other year that had departed but he decided that this year was special.

This was of course Harry Potter's year. They would be departing the school fully trained wizards plus some due to the war that they had all played a part in fighting, the losses that they had seen and the blood that each one had helped to spill to defend themselves and the rest of the wizarding world.

Albus had thought that the students deserved something extra special because in all honesty they were no regular year. Each and every one, from the proud and righteous Gryffindors to the cunning and sly Slytherins, from the clever and knowing Ravenclaws right down to the clumsy and often forgotten Hufflepuffs, each one was a wonder and deserved the Order of Merlin, first class that they all had received.

He had thought that they deserved someone to honour the sacrifices each had made and honour those that had lost their lives in the fighting. So much had happened in the seven years that they had been attending the school that each and every student had been tested in one way or another, they were all stronger and better equipped to deal with life because of it but that did not mean that they should have suffered the amount that they had.

The ball in question was formal attire and masks were not optional, it would take place two nights before graduation so that there was no risk that any of them would over sleep. Albus had planned the event down to the most minuscule detail.

He had of course wanted everything to be absolutely perfect for them, after all it would be the last time that the entire school year would be together before they went their separate ways into the world.

Albus had even managed to book the Weird Sister's as he had for their Yule Ball in their fourth year. He knew that they were all going to adore the evening and he knew that they deserved it. The Headmaster hadn't felt this proud of any individual school year since he had begun teaching and he had never allowed himself to get as close to a student as he had done with Harry James Potter.

Harry was exceptional, despite the deaths that he had caused on the day that the battled had commenced and the turmoil he had faced he was still as happy as ever, he had his best friends whose loyalty had never faltered for a moment but Albus worried for him because despite having so many friends and admirers he was still alone.

He hadn't managed to stay with Ginny, Albus had seen the slight awkwardness that he had had around her but he didn't have to worry about that anymore as the poor girl had been killed. Her lose had hit Harry harder than any other, even Sirius.

On some level Dumbledore knew that Harry had loved Ginny but it wasn't a romantic love, he had known, in the way that he always did that they were never supposed to end up together. There was also something else that he suspected but couldn't quite be sure about, it certainly wasn't a subject that he felt comfortable broaching with Harry, no matter how close they were.

Albus knew his role as a father figure to Harry would fall apart when he moved away, he had wanted him to stay and teach at the school but his heart was set on doing what he loved until he became too old and decrepit to have bludgers hit towards him.

Quidditch was still very much Harry Potter's only true love. He had watched his two best friends fall in love and become engaged but found nothing close to that for himself, once Ginny had died he had crawled into a shell of hopelessness and Albus had no idea how to coax him out of it.

It was amazing that the young man had grown up as stable and normal as he had, which was exactly why Albus knew that throwing such an elaborate ball was such a fantastic idea. He also hoped that while there Harry would be able to mingle without the worry that people were judging him for who he was and what he had done.

That was the joy of everyone wearing masks, identities could be hidden without difficulty and no matter who you were, no one would judge you for it. He had praised himself greatly for the wonderful idea, mentally patting himself on the back for thinking of such a clever idea.

The great hall, where the ball was due to be held, was going to have a spell cloaking it to ensure that even if you knew the outfit that your friends were wearing or could identify them in anyway then you would instantly forget that and socialise with the others.

It wouldn't matter who everyone arrived with, once they stepped into the great hall everyone would be just another person in a crowd. No judgements would be made and certainly no prejudices would be held. That was exactly why Albus was so certain that the night was going to be such a great success. He may have been getting on in years but he still had his mind and his brain, he hadn't lost that yet.

Harry was absolutely dreading the coming ball, he had been invited to so many, reporters always swarmed to the things and he hated it, he felt as if he was being watched constantly, he didn't want a celebrity life, somewhere quite where he could sit and read, occasionally playing Quidditch to keep money coming in, it wasn't much of a life but after all the excitement it was what he wanted.

Dumbledore had assured him that whatever this ball would be it would not be stressful on him, though he kept his reason why to himself, he had assured Harry that no media would be present and he would be free to do as he wished as no one would know him.

He had made his own mask, as every student had. Each had been given a blank white mask that would cover from hairline to nose and mid cheek and told to make it their own. Harry had first though that plain black with a gold trim would suffice, however since he had added intricate gold swirls and patterns to it, making it simple but spectacular.

When they had first been given this task Harry had joked with Ron that he should put a scar on his, however he had eventually decided against it as he didn't want to be recognized tonight, he just wanted to relax.

The colours he had picked specifically, they matched his dress robes that he had purchased for the occasion, beautiful black velvet ropes with Gold trimming. They had been tailor made for him, an extravagance that he could easily afford for the rest of his life, whether he worked or not.

For some parts Harry was glad that he didn't have to struggle through the real world, he had seen enough of it to last him three life times, he had seen the cruelty of men and he despised it, he knew that going out into the real world wouldn't be so different from the battle that he had fought in and that was what scared him.

He had turned down so many job offers, including teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, he wanted to do what he loved and play Quidditch, though he knew that once his career as a Seeker was over he could always return to the school, which was a comforting thought.

Ron and Hermione hadn't really thought that much ahead, Harry knew it was because they hadn't thought that they would both survive the final battle. When Ron had asked Hermione to marry him on the eve of battle Harry had known that he had only said it because he was scared.

Now they were stuck, Ron absolutely terrified of what marrying his high school sweetheart could actually mean and Hermione too overjoyed to realise what the reality of being permanently attached to Ron Weasley could mean. She had always been the intelligent one but now Harry couldn't understand why it was that she couldn't see how wrong it was for them to make their relationship permanent.

Harry however said nothing, he knew it would break their friendship whether he said something or not. He just went through life going through the motions, dealing with problems when they came up and moving on. It was such a simple existence and the only people he shared it with were his two best friends who were trundling unawares into a black pit of misery. Harry found himself unable to care about their fate, he loved them both but this was their mistake to make and not his to fix.

He was jealous that they had each other though, even though he recognized how much of a mistake they were making he was still jealous that they had something between them that Harry could not claim he had with anyone else.

He had loved Ginny in some ways however he had never pictured spending the rest of his life with her. It didn't matter whether he did or not anyway because she had been killed and even though Harry knew how horrible it was to say something so horrible he thought that maybe it was for the best that it had happened.

If it hadn't then more than likely they would still be together and he would have been stuck in the same trap that Ron and Hermione had managed to find themselves in. However the alternative for him was being alone and Harry wasn't sure how he felt about that. Being alone was simple and stress free but it meant that he was alone.

Harry knew how complex his life was even now that the threats to his life were over and the battle was won. He had so many admirers both male and female, all of them would willing give up their lives for a chance to date him but he didn't want someone who looked up to him as idle, he wanted something more than that. He wanted a relationship that kept him and his partner equal. He didn't think that it was too much to ask for.

Harry chose to dress for the ball without his friends, as they compared outfits and masks he found solace in the bathroom. Locking himself inside and taking a shower before dressing. He knew that his hair was a lost cause, it had grown massively and he refused to get it cut. He pulled it roughly back into a messy pony tail at the nape of his neck and didn't even attempt to flatten or tame the rest.

Also tonight he had the added complication of contact lenses. As he would be wearing a mask he couldn't exactly wear his glasses. When he had tried them on in the shop Hermione hadn't recognized him, she had nagged at him ever since to correct his vision with one of the many potions available. Harry however was reluctant, he knew that it was stupid but somehow he felt as if he could hide behind his glasses.

It felt strange without them. His reflection no longer looked anything like him without the glasses. However as he dwelled on this he realised that maybe this was a good thing because once he left Hogwarts he would have liked to blend into the crowd more. His long hair now partially covered the scar so it was almost out of sight completely now but his glasses were still an obvious beacon of his identity. Without them he became someone else.

Harry put the mask in place and said the spell that they had all been taught to keep it in place all evening, it felt as if it wasn't there at all. Now he looked completely unrecognizable and he was glad of it because it meant that for once in his life it wouldn't matter what he did tonight, no one would know that it was him. In that instant as he took in his reflection in the bathroom mirror he knew exactly why Dumbledore had chosen such an event for them.

He had taken so long in the bathroom getting ready that when he emerged into his dormitory all the others that he shared with had already made their way down to the great hall. He was a little hurt that they hadn't waited for him but truthfully he was glad, he knew that they wouldn't be able to stick together tonight any way. Harry knew the headmaster all too well, there wasn't any chance that he hadn't thought of absolutely everything.

The common room was filled with only those of younger years that weren't permitted to go to the ball tonight. They watched him with jealousy as he manoeuvred his way through the common room, weaving around chairs, tables and students to reach the portrait hole.

When he reached the entrance hall he realised exactly how long he had taken in the bathroom and the reason why he had been left to arrive alone. The doors to the Great hall were already open and the seventh year students were already inside. Strangely he could hear no music even though he could see the Weird Sisters playing at the far end of the hall.

As soon as he stepped over the threshold he felt something wash over him, he suddenly recognized no one in the crowd of people all around him. However he knew that really no one knew anyone because faces were concealed behind beautifully decorated masks.

He made his way towards the buffet and drinks table, he helped himself to a paper cup of pumpkin juice and took a sip. It tasted spiked with something alcoholic. As a rule Harry wasn't a big drinker, however he didn't see how a small amount could hurt tonight. He was alone in a large crowd where no one knew him, he could do with a bit of artificial courage in the form of what he was sure was fire whiskey.

As he stood there surveying the crowd another student approached him, their mask was black just as Harry's was but decorated in a riot of coloured stars, the mass of colour seemed to accentuate the silver of this particular students eyes. The only identifying factor of this persons looks was the wonderful blonde hair that fell loosely round his face, Harry couldn't recall seeing anyone with hair like this before. He was completely confounded as to who it could be.

"Good evening to you." The student said, his deep voice giving away his gender as he gave an incline of the head.

Harry returned the notion before saying: "And to you." He smiled sweetly at the stranger who probably wasn't even a stranger, for all Harry knew he could have met this student hundreds of times in the past seven years but there was no way of knowing.

"Are you having a good night so far?" Harry was asked.

"Quite," Harry said holding up the plastic cup he was drinking, "What about you?"

"It's certainly looking up." The silver eyed student said as he helped himself to the spiked pumpkin juice. He inhaled the scent of it briefly before taking a sip and Harry was sure that he had detected the alcoholic aroma just as he had.

"It seems so strange that I have no idea who you are and yet we've been at school together since we were eleven." Harry said desperately trying to make conversation, now that he had someone to talk to he didn't want to be left on his own again.

"I think that maybe the point is so that no one knows, some people may feel a lot more relaxed with their identity hidden. I agree that its odd but I think that we can cope for the evening." The stranger smiled at Harry and he felt oddly drawn to his companion.

"It is a great idea, a good way for people to get to know each other without judgement." Harry said and then he realised how that sounded and he inwardly cringed at his own words.

"Oh I completely agree, not only is it a great way for people to get to know each other but also to hook up without having to worry about appearances." Harry took a mouthful of spiked pumpkin juice and his companion did the same. "I know this is very forward as we've only been talking for a few minutes but do you want to dance?"

Harry nodded and allowed for his drink to be taken away from him and placed on the table behind them. The stranger took his hand and led him on to the practically empty dance floor. Not everyone had found a partner or got up the courage to dance just yet, the fire whiskey not having fully kicked in.

Apart from at the Yule Ball in his fourth year Harry had never really had the chance to dance with anyone and he wasn't one to dance around his room, he found it an entirely new experience dancing with his new partner for the evening. He moved gracefully enough to counter any clumsiness that Harry was prone too. They worked well together.

They danced for hours, only taking breaks to collect drinks and catch their breath before making their way back to the dance floor which over the course of the evening became more and more crowded.

They conversed and danced the night away and Harry found himself saddened when he realised that the evening would soon be over and the connection that they had built wouldn't last longer than tonight unless he took a chance. They couldn't go back to dormitories but Harry knew somewhere that they could go and be alone.

"Would you like to spend the night with me?" Harry asked, his courage had increased ten fold due to the alcohol he had drunk, the small amount going straight to his head as he wasn't used to even the smallest of quantities.

"Okay then." Harry's companion said without a moment of hesitation coming before his reply. "You lead the way." He said with a sweeping gesture of his arm.

Harry took his companion by the hand and led him out of the great hall, once they had departed the party the sound was suddenly gone and Harry could remember how to recognize his friends. He looked back at the man whose hand he held and did not recognize him in the slightest.

Harry smiled and they made their way up the marble staircase and continued to climb stairways all the way up to the seventh floor. He intended for them to use the room of requirement, no one would bother them there.

Once the door had appeared to admit the two of them Harry took his partner inside and closed the door ensuring that the door was bolted shut, he had asked for complete privacy from the outside world and as usual the room had delivered exactly what he had wanted.

Inside there was a beautiful crackling open fire and a neatly made, luxurious looking bed. It was simple and small but the two of them didn't need anything more than that. Harry moved to the bed, his heart pounding in his chest, it was so loud he was sure that his companion would hear it.

He sat down and manoeuvred himself so that he was leaning against the headboard, not a moment later he was joined by the other young man. Harry's nerves were making his breathing heavier than usual. Even with the added courage Harry had acquired through drinking the spiked pumpkin juice he couldn't bring himself to make the first move, it was a good thing that his companion was able to.

Harry had been just about to start another conversation to break the silence that had been pressing down upon them however as he turned his head to talk he felt the other young mans lips meet his own.

It was a shock but it didn't take more than a millisecond of hesitation before he responded to the kiss. His lips were soft and he smelled faintly of vanilla, a memory that would stay with him for a long time.

His courage resurfacing Harry pulled away and began to unbutton his partners dress robes. As each button was undone it revealed flawless pale skin, no scars, none. Harry slid the clothes off his shoulders and ensured that they made it to the floor, he ran his down the perfect chest.

"It's flawless" Harry said as he admired his companion's wondrous toned body.

"I escaped from the battle without physical scaring but not mental ones." He said with sorrow in his tone, Harry leaned forward and placed a soft kiss upon the other young mans lips before withdrawing and removing his own dress robes. Harry made no comment on the neat cuts on his left wrist that were all in a row from wrist to forearm.

"I wasn't so lucky." Harry told him as he threw his clothing to the floor, his own chest was marred with scars that were white against the tan of his skin. The worst of them all ran from his left shoulder, straight down to mid chest before curving up again.

"You fought in the battle." His partner said as he traced some of the healed wounds with his fingers, his touch gentle and loving.

"I did" Harry said, he took his partners hand within his own, bringing it to his lips and kissing it. It was his companion who made the next move, kissing Harry, pushing him back on to the bed and resting himself in-between his legs.

The remainder of their clothes were soon discarded as they kissed passionately, grinding against each other. They may not have known each others names or seen each others faces but that didn't matter, neither had been judged for who they were and that was what both had wanted.

In the aftermath of their love making they lay together in each others arms, the only thing covering them were their masks. Harry propped himself up and looked down at his partner and tucked a stray blonde hair back behind his ear. Silver eyes stared back up at him, a smile gracing his face. Harry leaned down and captured his lips in another heated kiss.

"You'd better stop that or I won't be able to stop myself from ravishing you all over again." The young man said, his smile transforming into a grin.

"That better not be an idle threat." Harry responded before kissing his partner again. It was a long drawn out kiss that Harry added to by stroking the other young mans already semi-erect penis.

"Oh it isn't but before we do, can we remove our masks?"

At this Harry hesitated, "Are you sure? It could ruin everything." He said, he was so unsure about this, not because he was scared that his partner would turn out to be someone unsavoury but because he was worried about his companion's reaction to discovering who he was.

Being Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived had its major draw backs. Now he had found someone he thought that he could genuinely care about. However he knew that they couldn't hide behind masks forever, they had to be honest with one another.

Also Harry had to come to terms with the fact that who ever his lover was, if he couldn't accept being with him then it was never going to work to begin with.

"I like you, from the things you've said tonight I think you're amazing, I want to know who belongs to those amazing green eyes."

"Alright then." Harry said, even though he knew that this had to happen it didn't stop him being very nervous about it.

They both moved to remove their masks simultaneously. Harry closed his eyes unable to look at the man that he had just had sex with, a part of him didn't want to know who it was but as he heard his partner gasp he couldn't help but look.

"Harry" His lover said in shock, emerald eyes fixed on to silver and he couldn't believe what he was seeing in front of him.

"Draco." Harry returned in equal surprise. He had just slept with a Slytherin and one that had played double agent for the side of the light during the war. He had escaped without any physical injury however the mental scaring that Voldemort had made him suffer had been completely irreversible.

Harry cast another glance down to Draco's left wrist and couldn't understand why he hadn't recognized the pain that he had been going through before now, he knew that it wasn't his responsibility and it certainly wasn't his fault but he still felt somewhat responsible for ignoring the young man up until now.

"Are you disappointed?" Draco asked, he didn't break the eye contact and Harry honoured that and he wouldn't lie to the Slytherin either, after everything that they had shared this evening he didn't think that he could.

"No" Harry said, "Not at all actually. Are you?"

"I'm shocked but not disappointed. I never really saw you before now but after tonight, the things that you've said, I see you now." Draco said with a smile, he ran his hand gently down the other teenagers cheek, Harry closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensation that it created.

"Not many people wouldn't have seen me at all," Harry said, "Everyone seems to watch me all the time, I think you're the only person who has seen past who I'm known to be and seen me for me."

"The question now is where do we go from here, I would like to get to know you more and maybe take what we have now further than this, whether you're Harry Potter or some unknown muggle it wouldn't matter to me. The man that I was talking and dancing with all night tonight is the most amazing man ever and that doesn't change because he has a scar and fame."

"Well I don't know about tomorrow but I know that for the rest of the night I know exactly where we can go from here." Harry said as he pulled Draco to him and kissed him passionately.


End file.
